It is desirable to measure the temperature of the viscous material in plastic injection molding or extruding machinery and the like as the viscous material flows from the barrel of the machine to a mold or die. It has been found that an inaccurate temperature setting can cause defects in the article being manufactured such as flow lines, discolorations, voids, and brittleness. In order to attempt to prevent such flaws in the finished article, it is desirable to monitor the temperature of the viscous material flow so that the necessary parameters may be adjusted in the upstream portion of the molding or extruding equipment to better maintain optimum temperature. The measurements of the temperature of the viscous material flow are typically made by inserting a thermocouple probe into the viscous material flow through a threaded hole provided in the barrel of the extruding or molding machine in a conventional manner well known to those skilled in the art. Conventional measurement techniques include inserting several different thermocouple assemblies having various probe depths in order to measure the temperature of the viscous material flow at varying depths.
More recently, it has become known to use a manually adjusted melt thermocouple manufactured by Advanced Dynamics of Cleveland, OH. according to U.S. Pat. No. 3,589,192. However, difficulties are encountered with the manually adjusted melt thermocouple. In order to obtain a temperature profile of a viscous material flow, a time consuming and laborious process is necessary which requires repeatedly adjusting the thumb wheel and taking a temperature reading to obtain sufficient temperature and corresponding position readings to manually plot a temperature versus position temperature profile. This process is not only very time consuming, but it entails some discomfort and even risk since the operator is required to be in close proximity to the molding or extruding equipment. Moreover, many times two individuals are necessary in order to properly us the manually adjustable melt thermocouple since one must manually adjust the probe while the second individual takes notes as to temperatures and corresponding positions being called out by the first individual.